Chairs



E. R. MOGREGOR CHAIRS Ap ril 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 21, 1954 ZMQ m Euyee la reyor April 15, 1958 E. R. MGREGOR CHAIRS :s Sheets-Sheet a Filed Oct. 21. 1954 Eugene H M dregok INVENTOR'. 1 311%)4 g M saving is paramount.

United States Patent O CHAIRS Eugene R. McGregor, Litchiield, Comm, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Washington, D. C.

Application October 21, 1954, Serial No. 463,682

7 Claims. (Cl. 155-?.t)$)

My invention 'relates to an improvement in seats adapted for general use, but which, because of the construction employed, are particularly well adapted for aircraft.

One'of the objects of my invention is to provide a seat structure in which the seat back may readily be adjusted to an infinite number of positions from upright to full recline, and in which the seat back may be folded over upon the seat bottom. This feature is of advantage in aircraft in that it permits the seat to be placed in front of exit windows without permanently blocking off escape areas.

My construction is such also that a reasonably slight blow on the upper surface of the seat back will dump the back, thereby reducing possibilities of head injuries in crashes. Furthermore, the folded compactness of my structure makes for easy shipping and handling of the entire seat structure.

Another advantage inherent in my .improved structure is the higher clearance under the seat. This is because of the construction and location of the recline mechanism and is of importance in aircraft service particularly, where space is at a premium and where the space under the seat is used for baggage or passengers legs and feet. The walls of most aircraft are curved and the seats must be curved to match the walls to obtain maximum seat width. To obtain both maximum seat width and the desired space beneath the seat, conventional mechanism, such as found in so-called posture chairs, was found to be unsatisfactory, necessitating provision of the special mechanism constituting part of my invention.

Anothe object of my invention is to provide a seat in which only the front portion of the bottom cushion is raised when the back of the seat is being adjusted to reclining position. This is of considerable advantage in promoting tilting of the seat back in that a persons posterior and the major portion of the lower torso and upper thighs remain practically stationary on the fixed rear portion of the seat bottom, while the weight of his back and a relatively slight back pressure on the seat back will overcome the weight of his lower limbs so as to recline the seat.

Another novel feature provided by my improved construction is the raising of the top edge of. the leg-rest panel approximately level with the front top edge of the bottom cushion in reclining the seat back. This is of importance in that it provides support for the calves of the legs without the necessity of employing excessive padding, which is of particular importance when weight The arrangement is such also that the leg rest is moved away from the bottom cushion slightly, which gives additional leg support.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention,

Fig. l is a fragmentary isometric view showing a double seat, one being in reclining position, the other in upright position;

ice

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a single seat with its back folded over upon the bottom cushion;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary isometric rear view of the seat of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side-elevational view of my improved seat with upholstery and padding removed;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the seat bottom and leg rest in raised position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating the reclining mechanism in upright positon;

Pg. 7 is a view taken on A-A of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with the parts in fullrecline position; and

Fig. 9 is an isometric view of the leg rest mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first of all to Figs. 1, 2, and 3: From these more or less general illustrations it will be seen that my invention is directed to seats which are particularly well adapted for aircraft use. In Fig. l I have illustrated a double seat, one of which comprises a bottom 2, arm rest 4, back 6, and leg rest 8, the bottom, back, and leg rest being shown in full-recline position. The other seat, in which the parts are shown in upright position, comprises a bottom 10, arm rest 12, back 14, and leg rest 16. The arm rest 18 is common to both seats. In Fig. 2, wherein I have shown a single seat which is simply a duplicate of one of the seats of Fig. l, the bottom has been designated 20, arm rests 22, leg rest 24, and back 26. In this view I show the back 26 folded down over the bottom Zii. It will be understood that in a multiple-seat arrangement, such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 for example, the backs 6 and 14 are capable of being folded down over the bottom of each seat. Fig. 3 illustrates very clearly the high clearance provided beneath the seat, made possible, as above noted, by the construction and location of the recline mechanism.

With reference to Figs. 4 and 6 in particular: It will be seen from an inspection of these two figures of the drawings that the seat sides comprise a frame made up of upper horizontal portion 28 for the arm rest, verticals 3th and 32, lower horizontal 34 at the level of the seat bottom, and verticals 36 and 37, and brace 38 welded to verticals 36 and 37 to provide a rigid leg structure stiffened against distortion from front to rear. It is to be understood that this side-frame structure is duplicated at the other side of the. seat. The side frames are tied together transversely of the seat by front tie rod 40 and rear tie rod 42. It will be apparent that the structure thus far described provides a very rigid seat frame.

As previously pointed out, my improved seat is of the type in which the seat back can be adjusted for different recline positions, from upright to full-recline position, and when desired may be folded over upon the seat bottom, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The frame forthe seat back comprises two side elements 44, one at each side of the seat, which are tied together by suitable transverse tie rods or bars. The lower end of each side element 44 is pivoted to the horizontal 34 of the seat side frames, as shown at 46. This construction obviously will permit the back frame to be moved to various positions from upright to full recline.

Pivoted on the pivot 46 at each side of the scat frame is a yoke 48. The free end of each yoke normally is detachably clamped to the side elements 44 of the back frame by a pair of spring clamps 50, shown in detailin Fig. 7. While these clamps ordinarily will clamp the yoke and back frame together so that the two will move as a unit, a sharp blow on the back frame from the rear will release the back frame from the yoke in the event of an emergency or when folding the back over the seat bottom.

The locking mechanism for locking the back frame vided by the tie rod 42, previously referred to.

of the seat in adjusted position is best seen in Fig. 4 and comprises a gear train 52, the first gear of which carries a crank 53 connected by crank arm 54 to the yoke 48. The gear train locking mechanism is mounted on the horizontal 34 at one side of each seat only. Ordinarily this gear train would be ample to hold the back frame in adjusted position where the seat is an article of household furniture, but to take care of gust loads and lurching forces where the seat is installed in aircraft, I provide a disc 56 at the outer end of the gear train which is driven by the last gear of the train. A spring-loaded plunger 58 is mounted on the vertical 30 of the side frame of the seat, and normally this plunger bears against the periphery of the disc 56, but when the back frame is to be adjusted, the plunger may be raised out of contact with the disc through push button 60, mounted within easy reach in the vertical 30.

In addition to the foregoing, my improved seat structure comprises means for raising the front portion of the seat bottom and for raising the leg rest. This mechanism is duplicated at each side of the seat and will now be described.

The seat bottom is in the form of a web, composed of a transverse rod 64 at the front edge of the web, to which I rigidly attach the outer ends of two side members 66. The rear end of each of these side members 66 is hooked directly into the horizontals 34 at 68. The rearmost transverse element of the seat bottom is pro- This arrangement, as will be brought out later, provides for varying the angle of the forward portion of the seat bottom, this portion pivoting about the point of attachment of the side members 66 to the horizontals 34 of the seat frame. The rear portion of the seat bottom, which, as

will be understood, does not pivot, is of such a length that a persons posterior and the major portion of the lower torso and upper thighs remain practically stationary in adjusting the back frame.

Pivoted to the outer ends of the front transverse 64 of the seat bottom are the two sides 79 and 72 of a leg rest yoke 74, which constitutes part of the leg-rest actuating mechanism. Pivoted on the front transverse 64, at each end thereof, and lying inside the side arms 70 and 72 of the leg rest yoke 74 are two links 76 and 78. The outer end of the first link 76 is pivotally attached to one end of a bell crank lever 80, which is pivoted intermediate its ends 'to the side 70 of the leg-rest yoke. The outer end of the second link 78 is pivotally attached to one end of a bell crank lever 82, which is pivoted intermediate its ends to the side 72 of the legi rest yoke. The ends of the bell cranks 8t) and S2 opposite their attachment to the links 76 and 7'8 are pivotally attached to the two oppoed sides of leg rest frame 84 adjacent the inner ends of these side members.

The transverse tie rod 49, hereinbefore referred to, is

provided with a suitable bracket 86, to which is pivoted the inner end of a leg-rest-actuating lever 88, which extends forwardly beneath the outer end of the yoke 74, this lever carrying a small roller 90, which at all times is in contact with the underside of an extension 75 of the yoke. The transverse rod 64 carries a pair of links 92 freely rotatable thereon, their lower ends being pivoted to the actuating lever 88 intermediate the ends of the lever.

Assuming that the parts composing the mechanism just described are in collapsed position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, if the side members 66 of the seat bottom are moved about their pivots 68, then the parts will eventually take the position shown in Figs. and 8, which is full recline, as far as the back frame is concerned and full elevation so far as the leg rest is concerned.

To pivot the side members 66 of the seat bottom, l provide a seat-bottom-actuating cam 94 for each side member. Each cam intermediate its ends is pivoted to the lower horizontal 34 of the seat frame. The inner ends of these cams bear against the underside of the side frames of the seat bottom. Pivoted to the outer end of each of these cams is one end of a compression link composed of two axially movable, telescoping tubes 96 and 98. A stop is provided for limiting the extent of relative axial movement of the two. tubes, this stop comprising a slot 100 in one tube and a cooperating pin 102 in the other. A coil spring 104 is provided between the two tubes. The other end of each of the compression links is pivotally attached to the yokes 48, which, as above set out, are pivoted to the seat frame at 46 and detachably attached to the back frame.

It will be appreciated that in some aircraft installations where space is limited it is not practical to recline the seat back 44 to full-recline position and to raise the leg rest. The telescoping tubes 96 and 98 of the compression links permit this operation. From Fig. 6, where the back frame is shown in upright position in full lines, it will be seen that the pin 102 is in the right-hand end of the slot 100. Accordingly, the back frame can be reclined, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 6, until the pin 102 engages the left-hand end of the slot 100 without imparting bodily longitudinal movement to the tube 96 and, hence, Without actuating the bottom-actuating cam 94, so that the front section of the bottom and the leg rest and the linkage systems associated therewith remain in the position shown in Fig. 6, the springs 104 being so designed as to permit of this action.

Assuming, however, that the back frame is to be moved from the erect position shown in Fig. 6 to full recline, as illustrated in Fig. 8 and as distinguished from the partialrecline position shown in broken lines in Fig. 6, the occupant of the seat merely has to press the button in the arm rest to raise the locking plunger 58; he then presses rearwardly on the back frame, and when the back frame reaches a recline angle where the pin 102 has bottomed in the left-hand end of the slot 100 as above described, then the tubes composing the compression links are in effect a continuous tube, with the result that further increase of the angle of recline of the back frame will move the compression links longitudinallyto the left as viewed in Fig. 6-to actuate the cam 94, thereby to raise the front edge of the seat bottom.

As the side members 66 rise, the links 92 are drawn upwardly to pivot the leg-rest-actuating lever 88, thereby swinging the leg rest in a clockwise arc about the pivotal connection of the control bell cranks 80 and 82 to the leg rest, and at the same time the rear ends of the side elements and 72 of the yoke 74 are being raised, these elements being pivotally connected to the outer ends of frame elements 66 of the seat bottom. Bearing in mind that the leg rest 84 merely rests upon the outer end of the yoke 74 and that the lever 88 merely engages the underside of the yoke, it is quite obvious that something additional must be employed properly to control the movement of the leg rest. This control is one of the functions of the bell cranks and 82, which, it should be remembered, are pivoted intermediate their ends to the sides 70 and 72 of the yoke 74 and at one of their ends to the sides of the leg rest and at their other ends to the links 76 and 78, which in effect are pivoted to the outer ends of the side members 66 of the seat bottom. As a consequence, the leg rest, with the back frame in full recline, will finally assume the position shown in Fig. 8.

It is to be understood that it is within the scope of my invention to vary the angle to which the back frame may be reclined without actuating the leg rest simply by varying the length of the slots 100, for example, in the tubes 98. Likewise, the degree of extreme recline and corresponding movement of the leg rest may be varied by varying the lengths of the various links employed in the leg-rest-actuating mechanism.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my invention provides a seat in which the back frame may be reclined at a substantial angle without actuating the leg rest and the seat bottom, which is of importance in situaations where space is limited; it will be apparent also, however, that further reclining of the back frame will actuate the leg rest and the seat bottom to various positions to correspond to the angle of recline of the back frame.

It will be appreciated still further that my invention provides a seat in which the seat bottom is made in sections to reduce the effort necessary to recline the back frame and to promote comfort of the occupant of the seat.

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove described without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

' What I claim is: p

1. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto; a seat bottom carried by the frame, said seat bottom being divided transversely into a forward section and a rear section, the forward section being pivoted along its rear edge to the seat frame; a compression link pivoted at one end to said back frame; a cam attached to the other end of said link and engaging the underside of the said forward bottom seat section to pivot the forward seat bottom section as the said back frame is tilted rearwardly, said link being constructed of two telescoping, spring-loaded tubes capable of relative axial movement; and a stop carried by the tubes for limiting the extent of this movement, whereby the said forward section of the seat bottom may remain stationary throughout the initial rearward tilting of the back frame and thereafter tilted to correspond to further tilting of the back frame.

2. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto; a seat bottom carried by the seat frame, said seat bottom being divided transversely into a forward section and a rear section, said forward section being pivoted at its rear edge to said seat frame; a driving connection between the back frame and the said forward seat bottom section for pivoting the forward seat bottom section upwardly as the back frame is tilted rearwardly; a leg rest carried by the seat bottom; and actuating mechanism therefor comprising an actuating lever, one end of which is pivoted to the said seat frame, a leg-rest yoke pivoted at its rear end to the outer edge of said forward seat bottom section, said leg-rest yoke underlying said leg rest, the end of said actuating lever opposite to the end which is pivoted to said seat frame underlying said leg-rest yoke, a first link pivoted at one end to said actuating lever and at its other end to the forward seat bottom section, a second link pivoted at one end to said forward seat bottom section in line with the pivotal connection of the first link to said forward seat bottom section, and a bell crank, one end of which is pivoted to said second link and the other end of which is pivotally attached to the leg rest adjacent the upper edge of the latter so that, as the seat back frame is tilted rearwardly to pivot the forward seat bottom section upwardly, the upper end of the leg rest will be moved away from the front edge of the said seat bottom section, while the lower part of the leg rest will be moved away from the front of the chair but to a greater extent than the upper end of the leg rest, whereby, with the chair back frame in full-recline position, the leg rest will extend at an incline from the forward edge of the forward seat bottom section.

3. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto; a seat bottom supported by the seat frame, said seat bottom being divided transversely into a stationary rear section and a front section, the'latter being pivoted to the seat frame; a seat-actuating cam pivoted intermediate its ends to said seat frame,

one end of said cam engaging the underside of the forward section of the seat bottom; a compression link pivoted to the opposite end of said cam at one end and to the said back frame at its other end, whereby, as the back frame is moved from vertical to a rearwardly inclined position, the front section of the seat bottom will be pivoted upwardly; a leg rest carried by the seat bottom; and leg-rest-supporting and actuating mechanism comprising a leg-rest yoke pivoted at its rear end to the forward end of the'forward section of the seat, said legrest yoke being provided with a forward extension underlying the leg rest, an actuating lever pivoted at its rear end to the seat frame, its forward end underlying and contacting the said extension of said yoke, a pair of links depending from the forward edge of the forward section of said seat bottom, the lower ends of said links being pivotally attached to said actuating lever intermediate the ends of said lever, a pair of bell crank levers pivoted intermediate their ends to the sides of said yoke, the outer end of each of said bell crank levers being pivotally attached to the leg rest, the opposite end of each of said bell crank levers being pivotally attached to the forward seat section by a link, the pivot of said last-named links being in line with the pivotal attachment of the first-mentioned links to the forward section of the seat bottom so that, as the chair back is tilted rearwardly, the front section of the seat bottom will be pivoted upwardly about its rear end and at the same time the leg rest will be swung from vertical position with respect to the chair to leg-supporting position with respect to the forward section of the seat bottom.

4. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto adjacent the rear edge of the seat frame; a seat bottom carried by said seat frame, said bottom being divided transversely into a forward section and a rear section, the forward section being pivoted along its rear edge to said seat frame; a yoke pivoted at one end to the rear edge of the seat frame; spring arms carried by the back frame and normally gripping the free end of said yoke with suflicient pressure to maintain the yoke and back frame attached to each other during normal tilting of the back frame, said spring arms releasing the yoke when sudden abnormal forward pressure is applied to the back frame; a compression link pivoted at one end to said yoke intermediate the two ends of the yoke; and a cam attached to the other end of said compression link and engaging the underside of the said forward section of the seat bottom to pivot the same as the back frame is tilted to recline position.

5. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto; a seat bottom carried by the seat frame and divided transversely into a forward section and a rear section, the forward section being pivoted at its rear end to said seat frame; a driving connection between said back frame and the forward seat bottom section to raise said bottom section as the back frame is tilted rearwardly; a leg rest carried by the seat bottom, said leg rest standing vertically when the back rest is in erect position; actuating and control mechanism for said leg rest, said actuating and control mechanism comprising a leg-rest yoke pivoted to the forward seat bottom section, said yoke underlying and cooperating with the leg rest; a leg-rest actuating lever pivotally attached at its rear end to the seat frame, its front end underlying and cooperating with said yoke; and a legrest control linkage system comprising a link pivoted at one end to said lever intermediate the ends of the lever, its opposite end being pivoted to the forward edge of the forward section of the seat bottom, a second link pivoted at one end to the inner end of the leg rest and intermediate its ends to said yoke, and a third link pivoted at one end to the free end of said second link and at its other end to the forward edge of the forward section of the seat bottom, said linkage system moving the leg rest into leg-supporting position as the forward sec tion of the seat bottom pivots due to rearward tilting of the back frame.

6. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto; a yoke pivoted to the seat frame; lock-drag mechanism carried by the seat frame and connected to said yoke; and spring jaws carried by the back frame and gripping said yoke with sufficient pressure to effect simultaneous movement of the yoke and lock-drag mechanism as the back frame is tilted to various angles of recline, said spring jaws releasing the yoke and lock-drag mechanism when force in a forward direction is suddenly applied to the upper edge of the back frame, thereby to permit the back frame to be folded forward over the seat frame.

7. A chair comprising, in combination, a seat frame; a back frame pivoted thereto; a yoke pivoted at one end to the seat frame; a spring clamp frictionally attaching the other end of said yoke to the back frame; and lock- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,880 Barker Mar. 19, 1907 2,468,765 Lorenz May 3, 1949 2,564,762 Howard Aug. 21, 1951 2,663,356 Lorenz Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 149,468 Germany Mar. 10, 1904 

